Program Analysis
At $75,680/yr, Chemical Engineering graduates from University of South Carolina-Columbia land near the $72,288 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
The 17.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $26,241 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #43 out of 158 programs, University of South Carolina-Columbia's Chemical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $75,680 to $99,912 shows 32% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.